Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-02

in war but in peace. pity the man VIII
cannot distinguish between the duty O
soldiers and self-imposed cruelties AM
barbarou smethods born of slavery.
What has been the course of the Demo
cratic party OF the north while thes
events have been going on? At first Their,
was doubt and denial, but now no homes
man can doubt, unless wilfully ignorant
No Democrat with spark of manhood
who hates these methods can shield him
self behind doubt or disbelief.
And, fellow-citizens, this is not thing
of the past. 1t is a continuing fact, L
is fact to-day. There IS hot an ihtelli
gent man ia this broad land of either par.
ty, who does not know that Nj. Cleveland
is now President of the United States BIZ
virtue of crimes against the elective fran
chise, including murder, arson, ballot
box stuffing, forgery ana perjury, but fol
which James G. Blaine would now be in
his place. There has not been 3 moment
since the adoption of the fifteenth amend
ment when, if there could have been 6
fair election for President, majority Of
the constitutional voters of at least five
OF the southern states would not have
voted for the Republican nominee
The poison of the success of these
methods has already affected the election
in some OF the great cities of the north,
especially in Chicago and Cincinnati,
where, under the lead of Mackin and
Tosney, the criminal classes adopted
some Of the meanest OF the crimes to
control elections. Why should they not?
If crime should be resOrted to BY white
Democrats of the south to chest and in
timidate poor negroes in the south, why
should not white Democrats of the north
be perm tied to resort to forgery and
perjury TO peacefully change the result of
an election in the north? Why discrimi-
nate agains. Mackin and Tosney by send
ing them to the penitentiary while send
ing Democrats of the south, by means of
like offenses, 20 the Senate and the House
and to represent the great republic in
foreign courts?
But, it is said that the Republican par
ty was in power while these crimes were
committed; why did it not prevent or
punish them? This question should be
fairly and frankly answered. When, by
the detection of Andrew Johnson, the
south was encouraged to commence the
policy of intimidation, the Republican
party was utterly helpless to resist it. 1t
was during his administration and with
the sympathy of the Democratic party,
that the massacre of colored people in
New Orleans, and riots ard violence In
different portions OF the south occurred,
and, especially the organization Snd the
cruel and brutal work Of the Ku Klux
Khan, and other secret oath-bound
associations took place. 1t was IN
Ter the shadow of these tragic
events that the election of 1868 oc-
cured. 1t was to defeat General
Grant that the two wings of the Demo
ratio party tapped together, one led by
Boss Tweed Of New York and his election
orgers and dead beats, the other by the
{u KiuX Khan In spite OF al this, now
yer, General Grant was elected President
u the United States. It was then the
Republican party in Congress proposed
he fifteenth amendment, which, it was
would secure to the Colored men
he protection of the ballot and the power
f self defense. The result is well known.
This constitutional provision was openly
ullihed. COlCred men were deprived Of
he right TO vote in counties, districts and
tdtes where their vote could change the |
esult. Ii intimidation was necessary il !
vas Tesorted to, even 10 the extent OF
murder. l. cheating, or forged returns, |
r tissue ballots, or numerous boxes to :
eceiye and entrsp the ignorant, or the
estructiOn of the boxes, or the refusal of |
he Judges to serve-Whateye trick or /
leens were necessary 10 defeat the right I.
f the Republican voter were resorted TO. !
General Grant could, under the llm- |
atoms of the constitution, see no /
amedy. 1t was proposed by the Repub- |
cans in Congress to pass bill called the !
Orce bill, intended to arm the executive |
with ample power to defend |
be ColCred people against these outrSges.
always thought that this bill should |
ave passed, but the strong feeling Of |
epugEance against such legislation IN the
orth, led many leading Republicans to
ote to delay, postpone, and finally to de-
eat it. But General Grant, under ex-
sting law, did commence and prosecute
nth diligence and effect some of the
'orst cases, especially in South Carolina.
-
RepubliCSnism has been stamped out in
ne south. Organized and disciplined
orce, with social ostracism, prevent in
lany states all free discussion, and all
llOlu nulbS h6puUllCAASJ
lille the freedmen are held in s baser
objection by the prejudice OF race and
Y the want of arms and organization, the
lheritance of slavery. This condition of
fairs is now hopefully changing. The
me has come, when many of the south
IN states, and especially in counties
here majority OF the population IS
'hite, these wrongs and outrsges can no
niger be inflicted, and the time will
ONE when even in the black belt of the
)uth, the intelligence, education and Or
anizatiOn Of the people will enable them
} maintain their rights.
But they are not utterly helpless. The
over 10 migrate wherever Injustice is
should be exercised by every
ian who feels oppressed. 1t should be
rganized BY every community that is
encouraged by all lawful means,
nd this viii, in my judgment, be the most
otent agency in preventing injustice.
One duty think the Republican party
IS not yet performed, and that is that in
sites where it is ssceTtained that free {
ID orderly elections for Senators and I
representatives in Congress cannot be
Id, Congress should assert and exercise
: unQuesttOned power to regulate the
mes, places and manner of holding such
eCtions.
This power has been asserted by the
It of 1866 providing for the election of